Dell is collaborating with Intel on a social film titled What Lives Inside – the fourth film of the “Inside Films” series.
The film will be directed by two-time Oscar-winner Robert Stromberg (Maleficent) and stars Colin Hanks (TV’s Fargo), J K Simmons (Whiplash) and Catherine O’Hara (Best In Show), along with the world’s thinnest tablet, the new Dell Venue 8 7000 Series tablet with Intel RealSense snapshot and an Intel Atom processor.
The series debuted on 25 March, exclusively on Hulu, and new episodes will premiere for four weeks. Starting 6 May, the full series will be available on WhatLivesInside.com and on YouTube.
“Inside Films” is the longest-running branded content series and has adopted a new genre and social activation each time ranging from thriller, romance, science fiction and now fantasy. This year’s social component involves Stromberg inviting the public to collaborate with him to complete the film by submitting character sketches and drawings for potential inclusion in the story.
The film centres around Taylor (Hanks), the son of an absentee father who finds himself on a journey of self-discovery. His father (Simmons) was a well-known and acclaimed children’s puppeteer who was widely celebrated for his creativity. After his passing, Taylor discovers a mysterious world of his dad’s creation and finds himself on an adventure that will soon unlock his own creativity.
The Intel-powered Dell Venue 8 7000 Series tablet with Intel RealSense snapshot will play a critical character in the film, accompanying Taylor on every step of the journey and helping to unlock his creativity.
Integrated into the viewing experience in an organic manner, the product’s features become the perfect tools for the emerging artist in Taylor to showcase his work. The organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) infinity edge-to-edge screen with more than 4-million pixels captures the rich and saturated colours of his creations.
The tablet is also the first to integrate the Intel RealSense Snapshot technology that captures a depth map for every picture taken, allowing Taylor to make instant measurements on his journey.
“The story has become a very personal journey for me,” says Stromberg.
“As a working father in Hollywood, I can relate to the father’s struggles in the movie, which made me very passionate about how the characters evolved. I am also extremely excited about the prospect of directing a social film and find myself daily thinking of ways to increase fan involvement in the film. This unique format will allow us to bridge the emotional and fantasy elements to create something not only unforgettable, but personal.”
“Dell’s commitment to innovation is brought to life stunningly through the lens of ‘What Lives Inside,'” says Marissa Tarleton, executive director of Consumer and Small Business, North America Marketing for Dell.
“Working with Intel on this project will allow us to continue to inspire consumers, foster creativity among social film fans new and old, and promote the new wave of computing among these communities. Our products have always been at the forefront of innovation and now, through the ‘Inside Films’ series, we have been able to showcase a unique approach to marketing products to consumers.”
This is the first time Dell has collaborated with an award-winning director and cast to produce a Hollywood-quality film. The series, now in its fourth year, has worked with a range of top talent. Past films have featured Hollywood stars such as Harvey Keitel, Emmy Rossum and Topher Grace, and the films have repeatedly won the admiration of Emmy and Cannes committees, as well as over 200-million viewers worldwide.
“This social film provides an engaging and unique way to showcase the capabilities of the Intel RealSense technology through the Dell Venue 8 7000 series,” says Doug Parker, vice-president of Intel Partner Marketing.